In an emergency, everyone wants a human connection; a live voice to provide the comfort needed to feel like they are not alone in their time of need. Backed by more than 25 years of emergency call-handling experience, the voices of specially trained Emergency-Certified Advisors are not only crucial to the success of OnStar and the safety and security services available to Members, they also aid public safety during emergencies. More than 200 Emergency Advisors work from two call centers located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Oshawa, Ontario, answering emergency calls 24/7, 365 days a year across the United States and Canada. Although they do not dispatch field units, they have a lot in common with 9-1-1 telecommunicators and handle the same types of emergency calls.
In this edition of OnStar On the Job, OnStar Advisors Tonshuwray Catlin and Chantalle Dugas share their stories and the pride they take in their important work that helps keep Members safe while supporting public safety. Both Catlin and Dugas are dual trained for handling emergency and Stolen Vehicle Assistance2 requests.
Called to Serve
Catlin, who previously served in the U.S. Army as a Logistical Specialist and has been an OnStar Advisor for six years, is driven by the desire to help others. “I always wanted to be able to go to work every day feeling like I made a difference and helped the community,” she explains. “I love the satisfaction of helping those in need.”
Recognizing the key role Advisors play in assisting public safety, Catlin relishes the idea of being an important member of a larger team when a caller needs help. She says her first step is to “put yourself in the center of the call as if it were you needing the assistance.”
When Stolen Vehicle Assistance requests come in, Catlin knows the tools and technologies OnStar can offer law enforcement to help locate a stolen vehicle quicker and more safely. “They contact OnStar because we have the capabilities to work with the police in their jurisdiction, to connect to the vehicle and provide live tracking,” she explains. “We assist with providing the location and initiating an ignition block to prevent the vehicle from restarting once the suspect has turned it off. We also have the option of Stolen Vehicle Slowdown®. Once law enforcement verifies sight of the stolen vehicle and safe conditions, we can slow it down. We are their partners.”
Catlin also recognizes the importance of often being the first person a caller speaks with in a time of need. “I am the first voice that Members hear when they call for help,” she says. “We provide the reassurance needed while contacting the appropriate First Responders. We ensure the proper information is relayed to the responding jurisdiction to provide the best level of care.”
Making a Difference
Dugas says she became an Emergency Advisor because she wanted to be part of a team that can make a difference in people’s lives. As an Emergency Advisor, she validates and prioritizes emergency calls from the vehicle or through the OnStar Guardian App.3 With every call, Dugas ensures all essential information is obtained while handling the situation with urgency, efficiency, compassion and professionalism.
“The ability to calmly perform in high-pressure and high-stress situations was something that oddly attracted me to the Emergency team,” she says. “I wanted to be part of something that makes a difference. I wanted to be the first voice to our callers and be able to provide crucial, lifesaving instructions. I wanted to be the Advisor you get when you need help.”
One of the most challenging aspects of Dugas’ job is not always knowing the final outcome of the calls. Once First Responders arrive on scene, she typically disconnects and might never hear how a situation played out.
That was not the case with one of her more memorable calls, however. Dugas says she had a call in which a son reported that his father was having a heart attack. While waiting for First Responders to arrive, she and her team provided CPR instructions to the son. Once First Responders were confirmed on scene, OnStar disconnected from the call.
Then, a few days later, the son called OnStar back to let them know that his father was expected to make a full recovery. “The son also informed us that, even though he was first-aid- and CPR-trained, having OnStar there to help him through. It was great,” Dugas says. “To know that we made a difference and actually helped save a life was certainly rewarding to hear.”
For Dugas, a North Carolina State University graduate and former customer service coordinator, one thing she would like the public safety community to be aware of is that OnStar Advisors do more than people may realize. OnStar Advisors are certified to handle a full range of emergency calls. They utilize medical, police and fire protocols provided by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED) Emergency Priority Dispatch System before help arrives. The IAED system provides a structured, standardized set of procedures that reduces complexity and risk, allowing Emergency-Certified Advisors to work confidently and, when necessary, provide critical support amid the chaos of an emergency situation. OnStar also is an IAED Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for Emergency Medical Dispatch and is working toward becoming accredited in Emergency Police and Fire Dispatch in the future.
- Certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.
- Requires paid plan, working electrical system, cell reception, GPS signal, armed GM factory-installed theft-deterrent system, contact method on file and enrollment to receive alerts. Additional messaging and data rates may apply. Services are intended to assist with vehicle recovery and do not prevent theft or protect against damage or loss. See onstar.com for details and limitations.
- Available on select Apple and Android devices. OnStar Guardian service, cell reception, GPS signal, device permissions and device data connection required.
